Some of the residents of the Diepkloof Hostel have illegally connected electricity from power lines into their Temporary Residential Units (TRU’s) by digging up the roads and installing ordinary cables.
But these people are also digging their graves or, even worse, those of innocent children.
These wires criss-cross the roads, supplying electricity to several units in the area.
Buyisile Shabangu, a mother of two children is one of the 60 families who were moved from the dilapidated houses in April.
Shabangu said, “It is very difficult to live in these TRU’s, because it is cold.
“I was admitted in hospital and was told that I have asthma and pneumonia and because of the cold.
“I have also tried to connect izinyoka (electricity illegally), which has led to all my house appliances getting burnt.” “I don’t what to do this anymore.
“We were promised electricity of May 16, and were never installed,” she said.
Shabangu said, “The children cannot go to school too because they are also sick.
“If I iron my children’s uniform at night, we wake with everything wet.
“We then have to go to our neighbours to borrow uniform, so that my children can go to school.
“The children cannot go to school too because they are also sick.”
“These TRU’s are going to burn, because the residents have ended up connecting electricity illegally,” said hostel chairperson Mxolisi Thusini.
Thusini said, “Its winter, how are they supposed to live in these cold units?
“The residents have been coming to me for the past two months, complaining about the cold, but there is nothing that I can do.”
“COJ housing department with the Gauteng Department of Human Settlement made site loco-inspection in the Diepkloof Hostel to inspect dilapidated rundown buildings,”said Nthatisi Modingoane, COJ Department of Housing spokesperson.
Modingoane said, “This was followed by the appointment of the service provider to construct the 200 TRU’s by the Gauteng Department of Human Settlement.
“On April 12, 2015 the MMC housing in the City of Johannesburg launched the commencement of the allocations of the affected families to the TRU’s.”
“On the June 26, 2015 the deputy director of hostels redevelopment met with the affected residents and explained the electrification of the area experienced some delays and made a commitment that within 14 days of that meeting, another report back meeting with the affected to inform them of the progress in appointing the service provider will be convened,” Modingoane said.
